Ireland is home to the ‘world’s best hotel’

The world’s number one luxury hotel was named at the Best of the Best Awards last night – and it’s in Ireland.

The announcement was made as part of a luxury travel show in Las Vegas called the Virtuoso Travel Week.

Ashford Castle in Co Mayo was named as the number one hotel. It came ahead of some of the world’s great hotels such as The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India, Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa, Andalucía, Spain, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Germany and One&Only Palmilla, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico.

It stands in a 350-acre resort in Cong, Co Mayo, and boasts not only a magnificently grand exterior and numerous luxurious rooms – and even a 32 seat cinema – but also striking views of the surrounding area including Lough Corrib.

Virtuoso travel advisor Julie Smothers said: “Ashford represents a time stamp of the eras. Its staff members are like warm and inviting walking history books.”

The 13th century castle recently underwent a €47m refurbishment and was reopened in April this year.

Throughout the years the castle has hosted some of the most famous people of the modern age including U.S. President Ronald Reagan, John Lennon, John Wayne, Brad Pitt and Pierce Brosnan.

A stay in the castle hotel doesn’t come cheap. The price of a room for one night is around €495 per night.

The hotel has such a long history it has a way of evoking stories from the past. Smothers said: “When the bagpiper greets you at the grounds’ old stone archway, you feel like you’ve entered a fairy tale.”

In July, 2010 my brother, his wife and my two daughters stayed at the beautiful Ashford Castle. I very much would love to go back. Talk about wonderful accomendations. The luxury of seeing such beautiful things. The grounds were amazing.
Thank you for a wonderful experience.
Danielle from Maryland, USA

Arrived with family at midnight on Christmas Day – as we were being shown to our rooms, a roast pig had been carried about on a heavy silver platter, while being sung to holiday carols… It was a noisy, joyous, boisterous celebration, with liveried staff mixing in with the guests. Best welcome to Ireland ever!

Stayed at Ashford Castle in September of 2015. It exceeded everything I had ever heard about it and left an indelible impression of Ireland in my heart. Every detail of the furnishings and accoutrements was spectacular! The staff were especially warm in their care of my sister and I. The food was superb and the dining room enhanced the “fairy tale” experience for us. We really felt like royalty during our visit!